Chapter 104 New Year of 1979
Time flies like a white horse passing by, and in the blink of an eye, 1979 has quietly arrived. This is destined to be an extremely extraordinary year. The lingering sound of the New Year’s bell is still ringing in our ears. Just after New Year’s Day, a tense atmosphere quickly spread among the various troops.
An emergency recall order disrupted the peaceful study and life of the officers and soldiers studying in the military academy. They packed their bags and rushed to the Chinese border, preparing to launch a self-defense counterattack against the Vietnamese army.
Lu Tingxiao's original unit was entrusted with an important task as a support force this time, and he was ordered to lead the team to the China-Vietnam border.
Time was running out. In the short break before the gathering, Lu Tingxiao was extremely anxious and rushed back home without stopping. The moment he saw Jiang Ruoxi and the children, his eyes were filled with attachment and reluctance.
Jiang Ruoxi's eyes instantly turned red, and all the worries and concerns in her heart turned into a silent gaze. She just hurriedly and quickly took out a bottle of spiritual spring water from the cabinet and stuffed it into Lu Tingxiao's hand. Thousands of words finally converged into one sentence: "You must come back safely!"
Lu Tingxiao nodded vigorously, but before he could say anything more, he had to turn around and hurriedly boarded the train to the China-Vietnam border.
Looking at the figure walking away, Jiang Ruoxi's heart ached, tears welled up in her eyes. She prayed countless times in her heart, hoping that Lu Tingxiao would be safe.
In the New Year of 1979, the biting cold wind brought a biting chill, but inside Jiang Ruoxi's family's house, the cold and lonely atmosphere was intertwined with this cold winter, so heavy and depressing that it made people breathless.
For Jiang Ruoxi, this New Year was particularly uneasy. Lu Tingxiao had gone to the border and had not returned. His voice, appearance and smile always appeared in her mind involuntarily, making her feel uneasy.
In previous years, the house was filled with laughter and joy during the New Year, with the whole family sitting together in a warm and lively atmosphere. But now, without Lu Tingxiao, Jiang Ruoxi seemed to have lost her soul and no longer had the leisure and energy to take care of New Year affairs as in previous years.
In the kitchen, the New Year's goods gave off an enticing aroma, but Jiang Ruoxi had no appetite to taste them. She often sat in front of the window, staring into the distance with empty eyes, worried about Lu Tingxiao who was far away at the border.
She prepared this year's New Year's Eve dinner in a hurry, and when the food was served, it was not as steaming hot as before, and lacked the strong festive atmosphere. This was undoubtedly the most sloppy year she had ever spent.
The family understood Jiang Ruoxi's feelings. The house was so quiet that only the heavy breathing of each other could be heard. No one spoke to blame. Everyone knew in their hearts that everyone was silently worried about Lu Tingxiao.
But what made this worry worse was that in addition to Lu Tingxiao, Jiang Ruoxi's two brothers and Lu Tingxiao's eldest brother also joined the army to participate in the counterattack. The pillars of the family went to the battlefield, their lives or deaths hanging in the balance. Father Lu and Father Jiang also went to the border to command the battle, and the situation became increasingly tense.
Lu's mother and Jiang's mother gathered together and tried to comfort each other, but they could not dispel the gloom in their hearts. Jiang Ruoxi felt so distressed when she saw the haggard faces of the two mothers. She forced herself to cheer them up and wanted to comfort them, but she swallowed the words back when they came to her lips because she herself was unsure and was filled with fear and anxiety.
On New Year's Eve, the fireworks outside the window were brilliant, but the three people in the house had no intention of enjoying them. They sat together under the dim light, praying silently for their loved ones to return safely.
Jiang Ruoxi gently stroked her slightly bulging belly, which was the fruit of her and Lu Tingxiao's love. She silently said in her heart: "Child, your father will definitely come back safely. He doesn't even know you exist yet. He will be very happy when he comes back!"
After Lu Tingxiao went to the front line, life seemed to be normal. Jiang Ruoxi was busy in the braised meat shop every day, supporting the family and watching over her lover from afar. However, fate quietly laid the groundwork for a surprise. One day, Jiang Ruoxi was busy in the braised meat shop when she suddenly felt dizzy, her vision went dark and she fainted.
Seeing this, Song Yu and others were extremely worried and rushed her to the hospital. After some examination, the doctor told them with a smile that Jiang Ruoxi was two months pregnant. Hearing this news, Jiang Ruoxi was surprised and happy, and her thoughts instantly drifted back to the last time Lu Tingxiao was on vacation at home. At that time, they were still immersed in the sweetness of a brief reunion, and they never thought that the seeds of love had been quietly planted. Now, this child has become a closer bond between her and Lu Tingxiao, carrying her expectations for the future and her longing for her lover far away.
The days passed, and every minute and every second was extremely painful. Jiang Ruoxi got up early every day, and the first thing she did was to run to the post office, expecting to receive letters from the front line, but she always returned disappointed. She began to learn various bandaging and nursing knowledge, thinking that she would be of use if her relatives came back injured.
The children also noticed that the atmosphere at home was not right and became particularly sensible. They were no longer noisy as usual, but stayed quietly beside Jiang Ruoxi, comforting her with their childish words: "Mom, Dad will definitely come back safely!" Jiang Ruoxi looked at the children, her heart filled with relief, but she could not hide the worry in her eyes.
On February 17, 1979, in compliance with the order of the Central Military Commission, the Chinese border defense forces decisively launched a self-defense counterattack against the Vietnamese troops that invaded Chinese territory. The soldiers were brave and fearless, charging into battle like tigers emerging from the mountains. With their tenacious will and outstanding combat skills, they quickly captured more than 20 important cities and towns in northern Vietnam in a short period of time. Within just one month, the troops announced their withdrawal from Vietnam. In this operation, China achieved its intended combat objectives, successfully disrupted the strategic deployment of the Soviet Union and Vietnam, defended the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and achieved a phased victory.
Jiang Ruoxi paid close attention to the news in the newspaper every day. When she saw the report of Shengli, a glimmer of hope surged in her heart. She knew that Lu Tingxiao might be coming back soon. From then on, she looked forward to it every day, expecting to receive news of Lu Tingxiao's safe return.
Finally, on a rainy morning in spring, a letter carrying the atmosphere of the front line was delivered to Jiang Ruoxi. She opened the envelope with shaking hands, tears instantly blurring her eyes. In the letter, Lu Tingxiao briefly reported that he was safe and that they had won the battle and would be back soon. Jiang Ruoxi held the letter tightly and rushed home to tell Lu's mother and Jiang's mother the good news. The three of them hugged each other and cried, tears of joy streaming down their faces. The heavy stone that had been weighing on their hearts for a long time finally fell to the ground, and the family finally saw the light of hope.
The days passed slowly in agony, and every minute and every second seemed to be tugging at Jiang Ruoxi's heart. She spent every day filled with worry and endless longing. When she woke up from a dream in the early morning, the first thing she did was to look out the window, hoping that a familiar figure would suddenly appear. At night, she lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, with her mind filled with images of Lu Tingxiao on the battlefield. The unknown dangers and hardships made her heart clenched.
Finally, one day a month later, the sun was exceptionally bright, as if foreshadowing the coming good news. Father Lu and Father Jiang returned to Beijing first. They walked hurriedly and came straight to Jiang Ruoxi with joy on their faces. Looking at the uncontrollable smiles on their faces, Jiang Ruoxi felt a glimmer of hope in her heart, and her breathing unconsciously became rapid.
Father Lu spoke first, his voice filled with unconcealed joy: "Ruoxi, Tingxiao and the others are all fine, they will be back in Beijing in half a month at the latest!" Hearing this, Jiang Ruoxi's eyes instantly turned red, and tears burst out uncontrollably. This long wait is finally coming to an end, and the emotions that have been pent up in my heart for a long time completely burst out at this moment.
Jiang Ruoxi's tense nerves relaxed instantly. In the following days, Jiang Ruoxi was full of anticipation for Lu Tingxiao's return. She got up early every day and cleaned the house spotlessly. She changed all the bed sheets and quilt covers to Lu Tingxiao's favorite colors, and carefully prepared his favorite meals and ingredients, waiting for him to come back and feast on them.
The children were also very excited to hear the news that their father had won the battle and was coming home. They used their tender little hands to make greeting cards to welcome their father home, and the greeting cards were filled with pictures of the family hugging each other happily.
Dabao said: "When Dad comes back, I will show him the little red flower I got at school."
Erbao also said in a baby voice: "I want to sing the new nursery rhyme I learned to Dad!"
Sanbao hugged his favorite toy tightly and muttered, "I want to give this toy to my dad to make him happy!"
Half a month seemed both long and short to Jiang Ruoxi and the children. Finally, on a sunny day, Jiang Ruoxi heard familiar footsteps. Her heartbeat quickened as she ran to the door. The moment she opened the door, she saw Lu Tingxiao's familiar yet slightly tired figure. She could no longer suppress her excitement and threw herself into his arms.
Lu Tingxiao hugged Jiang Ruoxi and the children tightly, tears glistening in his eyes. At this moment, all his thoughts and worries turned into tears of happiness, and the family was immersed in the joy of reunion.
When Jiang Ruoxi left Lu Tingxiao's arms, Lu Tingxiao's eyes inadvertently fell on Jiang Ruoxi's slightly bulging belly. In an instant, a hint of surprise and disbelief flashed in his eyes. His pupils suddenly dilated and his lips slightly opened, as if he wanted to say something, but was speechless for a moment.
"Wife, what are you doing..." Lu Tingxiao's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice full of surprise and temptation, as if he was afraid that this was just a fleeting dream.
"Yes, I am pregnant. It's been three months. I found out after you left!" Jiang Ruoxi's cheeks were slightly red, with a gentle light flashing in her eyes. She bit her lower lip lightly and said with a little shyness but full of happiness.
Lu Tingxiao's eyes were slightly red. He gently embraced Jiang Ruoxi again, his movements were as gentle as if he was treating a rare treasure. His voice was choked with sobs, "Wife, thank you for your hard work. Have you been to the hospital for a check-up?"
His palm gently placed on Jiang Ruoxi's belly, feeling the wonder of the new life. The corners of his mouth unconsciously rose, outlining a happy arc.
"It's not hard. I have to go to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow. How long can you rest this time?" Jiang Ruoxi raised her head, her eyes full of concern. She knew very well that Lu Tingxiao had no choice in his work, so every time they met was particularly precious.
"Then I'll go with you tomorrow. My former leader told me that after I graduate from the military academy, I might move up a career path. Normally, you'll go back to where you came from after graduating from the academy, but if I move up a career path, it's not certain. I might stay in Beijing!" Lu Tingxiao frowned slightly and said seriously, his eyes revealing his longing and expectation for the future.
Hearing that Lu Tingxiao might stay in Beijing, Jiang Ruoxi's eyes lit up instantly, with tears of excitement flashing in her eyes. She tightly grasped Lu Tingxiao's arm with both hands, and her voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Really? Is it really possible that he will stay in Beijing?"
"Yes, it's possible!" Lu Tingxiao nodded vigorously with an affirmative smile on his face. Looking at Jiang Ruoxi's expectant eyes, his heart was filled with warmth and determination.
"That's great. If you stay in Beijing, we can be closer to our parents, grandparents and the others. I wonder if my eldest brother, second brother and eldest brother Lu can also go back to Beijing!" Jiang Ruoxi's eyes were red, the corners of her mouth were raised, and her face was filled with a happy smile. She leaned in Lu Tingxiao's arms, feeling the warmth and peace of this moment. She prayed silently in her heart, hoping that Lu Tingxiao could stay in Beijing smoothly and the family would never be separated again.
"I don't know about them for now. Each military region has its own arrangements, but it's not absolute. It's possible that they will be transferred back, depending on their military merits!" Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi said.
In the following days, Jiang Ruoxi and Lu Tingxiao carefully prepared for the arrival of the new life. They decorated the baby room together and picked out cute baby products. Every little item carried their beautiful expectations for their future life. Whenever Lu Tingxiao was free, he would stay with Jiang Ruoxi, taking walks with her, chatting with her, telling her interesting stories from the military academy, and making her happy.
The children were also looking forward to the upcoming younger brother or sister. Every day, Dabao and Erbao would lie on Jiang Ruoxi's belly, talking to the baby softly and telling the baby stories; Sanbao would always follow behind Lu Tingxiao and ask in a baby voice, "Dad, when will the brothers come out to play with me?"
Lu Tingxiao always smiled and patted his head, and patiently answered: "Soon, when my little brother comes out, he will play a lot of fun games with you!"
"Jiaojiao, how do you know it's my brothers?" Jiang Ruoxi asked puzzled.
"It's my younger brothers. If you don't believe me, you can ask my eldest brother and second brother!" Sanbao looked up and answered innocently.
Dabao and Erbao also kept nodding. Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi looked at each other. I'll have to check carefully when I go for a prenatal checkup later, as it might be twins again.
As Lu Tingxiao's graduation from the military academy drew closer, the family became more nervous and excited. Jiang Ruoxi would prepare nutritious meals for Lu Tingxiao every day, and told him to take care of his health and meet future challenges in the best possible condition.
Lu Tingxiao was also working hard to make various preparations to stay in Beijing. He looked up information, consulted seniors, and did not miss any opportunity.
Finally, on a sunny day, Lu Tingxiao received a notice from his superiors that he had successfully stayed in Beijing City due to his outstanding performance and excellent abilities. When he told Jiang Ruoxi the good news, the whole family cheered and tears of excitement burst out. At this moment, their happiness is finally complete, and the future days are full of hope and light.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
